GB- I was born in Jamaica and moved to
Mt. Vermon, NY in 1984. 1 came to Fredonia in 1990.

RM- What was your major?

GB- Political science and
philosophy.

RM- Was your transition from Fredonia to
graduate school a smooth one? How did Fredonia figure into that
transition?

GB- I guess it was pretty smooth. For
better or for worse, I was confident that I could do it and I felt
ready before I got there. Once I was there, there were moments of
doubt. It is hard to say that Fredonia didn't contribute, I grew a
lot there, due mostly to extra-curricular activities. Those were
four important years of my life.

RM- What experiences did you have with the
Educational Development Program that helped you in furthering your
studies?

GB- The really great staff. You could
always count on seeing a friendly face. They really kept me on my
toes. When I started at Fredonia, I wasn't the most organized person
and the staff played a role in picking up the slack. They would send
a note, give a call to guide me and give me reminders. They[the
staff] are very supportive and their role is indispensable.Back to Top

RM- What advice would you give to current EDP
students?

GB- Most importantly, believe in yourself
and your abilities. I used to tutor in EDP and in all instances I
found that self-confidence, which is very important to success, was
either not there or minimal. I can see why they [the students] don't
have it because there are low expectations of them and they don't
push themselves. Raymond Belliotti (philosophy professor) and
Kathleen Bonds, EDP director were two people who clearly had the
highest expectations of me. I couldn't settle for a B because they
wouldn't settle for it. I didn't want to disappoint. My awareness of
their belief in me made a difference. Because of my respect for
them, I had to start believing in myself. Also, take your studies
seriously. Grades are important. In an increasingly complex world,
grades are the most reliable indicator of competence level. Don't
wait until you are out to realize that you should have' buckled
down.

RM- Was law school always what you wanted or
did that develop over your time at Fredonia?

GB- When I started I had a notion of
going to law school but I was not exactly certain of what to do.
First semester, second year I consulted with Kathleen Bonds who was
then an EDP counselor and declared a major. I realized that I needed
some idea of what I was going to do in order to have effective
planning. When I was forced to think about it, I decided to go to
law school and from that point on, I was going to go

RM- As an EDP student did you ever feel that
you were not going to make it and what got you through those
moments?

GB- I never really thought that I wasn't
going to make it, I was confident and had the drive to succeed. Not
making it was never an option for me. I wanted to excel, not just
graduate. I never questioned my abilities but had to make sacrifices
with extra-curricular activities. I never felt like an EDP student
in the sense where you are supposed to fit into a stereotype of a
student that is disadvantaged and unconfident. I tried to work with
students to overcome that and like to think that I helped
them.

RM- What's next after graduation?

GB- I graduate on May 16 and hope to be
practicing corporate law. I will be starting in the fall with the
law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom. I had a lot of fun
in law school. It's a tough animal, but you can make it what you
want. Back to Top